Walking in the Dark [Down Draft]

Part One

Cover done by stella101.

I used to think that I would always hate night. Ever since a dark incident in my life occured, my life has never been the same. Why? you ask. Well, I'll get to that. First, let me tell you how it happened. How my life changed forever.

"Come on! Please tell me you can make it to the party! Everyone's going to be there!" My best friend Kay said, slight hopefulness in her tone of voice. Her name wasn't actually Kay. It was just easier to say "Kay" than Kattie-laness. Everyone has called her Kay since second grade.

"Kay, I'm already grounded until college. If I sneak out and my parents catch me, all hell will break loose! Plus, not to mention the fact that they don't even know I'm talking to you on the phone right now. I mean, come on, Kay, let's face it; I'm horrible at keeping secrets. Sorry, Kay, but there's no way I can go. Maybe my parents will let me off the hook early for good behavior. Look, I have to go. I'll see you at school tomorrow," I said, annoyance lacing my every word.

"Okay, Schuyler, I get it. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye," was her immediate response.

After I hung up the phone, and before my brat little brother could catch me, I got out of bed and headed down stairs. I usually started getting hungry about this time. My internal clock, as my mom had liked to call it, told me it was chow time. It was at the moment, promptly 5:30. As it was, I was starving. I hungrily searched the kitchen I had recently entered for something decent to eat. I prowled the kitchen for something when suddenly a hand popped in my face.

"I thought it would be a good idea to help you," my brother said smugly. "Any longer and you would have destroyed the house looking for something to eat."

"I could take that offensively, but at the moment, I'm just too hungry. What do you have?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Most times my little brother was annoying as hell. But sometimes, very rarely, he saved my butt, and I did love him for that. He isn't usually nice, but he's wicked genius at anything dealing with books and electronics. He's sometimes pretty cool.

"Let's see...I have leftover spaghetti," he said, pretending to think. We looked at each other and said simultaneously "neh". "I have turkey sandwiches...or maybe...just maybe I know my sister well enough to know that her current favorite is pizza." He handed me a box of delivered pizza. And while I looked at him surprised, he simply smiled. "I just went ahead and ordered it."

"I love you forever, Seth!" Those words were the last I told him. I was, however, glad I was able to tell him I loved him. It was the same with my parents.

I kissed him on the forehead and ran back upstairs, while eating. I had to get ready for Tae Kwon Do practice. Ever since I was 9 I had been involved in martial arts. I was currently a red 1st belt. Two more belts until I got a black belt. Most of my friends, with the exception of Kay, did Tae Kwon Do. I loved it there. It was like a second family, although Master Roy wasn't as nice as a father.

I ate three pieces of the pizza. It was currently my favorite food, but that was probably subject to change. I got dressed for practice when I finished. When I was done, I went back down stairs. I said goodbye to my parents after telling them I loved them, because by now they had gotten home. Then I left the house and headed for my car.

Practice started at sic o'clock exactly, and if you were late, there were consiquinces to be paid. So I always made sure I got there ten 'till six.

Practice was over all too quickly like it always seemed to be. Once again, I headed for my car. I was looking forward to a nice, warm shower, becuase I was so sweaty. While driving home, I feel like I'm getting anxious for no reason, and then I realized I forgot to bring an anxiety reliever with me. I rearely forgot, but when I did, I always paid the consequences.

I pull out my cell phone and call my mother. She doesn't answer, which was odd. So I dial again, and when she doesn't answer the second time, I begin to become a little worried. She always answered the phone.

I wait anxiously to get home, and my leg is bouncing up and down frantically. She only missed the call twice. Several minutes later, I pulled in to the drive way in front of our house and noticed immediately there was something wrong. Every light in the house was off, which was highly unusual. We always left the kitchen and hallway lights on; always. Something was terribly wrong.

I get out of my car so fast I leave my car door open. Opening the front door to the house, I notice that it's pitch black and it smells funky.

I walk down the black hallway, keeping my right hand on the wall to make sure I don't smake into the door at the end. I go past the kitchen and into the living room where I flick the light on.

And that's where he stood. Tall, lean, and lanky, standing there like a bored blonde cat. It was what he was standing over that made me suck in air for a loud, blistering scream.

He'd killed them. He'd killed them all. My mom, my dad, and my sweet, sweet brother lay dead on our bloodstained carpet.